Fire escape



TPBNN.

FIRE ESPE.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 5, 1882.` l

l NO. 263,952.

INVENTOR i ATTORNEYS.

` UNITED STATES `v `PrrrENT OFFICE.

THOMAS` PENN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIWFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,952, dated September 5, 1882. Application filed April 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all lwhom it may concern Bc it known that I, THOMAS PENN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have in vented a new and useful Improvement in Fire- Escapes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that description of re-eseapes in which a flexible chute or conveyer is used for passing persons'from the window of a building to the street, such chute being of a closeor tubular construction, so that the person passing down through it is un der cover, while the flexibility of the device provides for its being bent or inclined to ease the descent of the person through it, and also provides for its being stowedaway in asmall space and convenient for use. Y

VThe object of this invention is to more effectually provide for the adjustment of the chute, and to facilitate entry thereto to give a better control and check by the person descending through it, to make the projection of the chute automatic by the opening ofthe window to` which it is applied, and so that an alarm will be soundedto others in the building or outside of it, and to provide for the chute or convey-eil being used also as a scalingladder and means of escape from the outside of it.

To these ends my invention consists in the combination and arrangement'of parts, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which4 similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my invention applied to the window of a building and ready for use; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section upon a larger scale ot' the same, in part, in a plane which is transverse to the width of the window, and showing the chute as rolled up within the window-casing.

In the drawings, A is the chute or conveyer,

which may be made of any suitable fabric, in-

cluding duck, canvasl steeped in a saline solution, asbestos mixture, or otherwise protected against the action of tire. Thischute is suflciently long to reach the opposite side of the street from the window to which it is applied, and of a sufficient capacity for a person to pass down through it. It is made enlarged or hop- Asill of the window.

per-shaped at its mouth or upper end to titthe window, and the under edge, b, of its upper end is securely I'astened to the inside ot' the The lower or outlet end of thechute has loops and ropes ce, which may be furnished with gripping attachments and extensions for manipulating-the chute from the streetthat is, for extending, inelining, and holdingjt to make the descent of the perA son through it easier and more secure..

The window'frame is constructed with boxings and slides for the lower sash, B, of the window, and is iitted with pulleys d for cords having weights e at their ends to run up said sash when liberated. There are also arranged within extra h'oxi'ngs in the window-frame other pnlleys,f, over which chains or cords g, havingI weights 7L on their one end and attaehed at their opposite end to the upper `edge ot' the chute, pass to pull up or vspread open the mouth end of the chute, so as to form a ready entry for the person about to descend and a curtain to prevent any embarrassment which might arise from viewing the distance of the descent, as shown i-n Fig. 1. The upper end or mouth of thel chtite is thus extended when said chute is iiberated for the purpose, which may be done automatically, as hereinafter described, by releasingthe lower sash, B,and allowing it to run up under the control of the weights e. The chute, in thus `being spreadopen or extended at its upper end, is guided at the side edges of its mouth by rings z' attached thereto, and arranged to runupon upright guide-rods K, secured to the windowframe.

When not in use the mouth end ofthe chute is drawn down or closed and the chute rolled up, as shown' in Fig. 2, within a spring hung or hinged shelf and lid, D, applied to the windowsill or bottom of the window-frame onits inner side. This shelf and lid, when closed, keeps the chute down, and it may be secured in its closed position by a draw-pin or catch, l, arranged to engage with a keeper, m,on the window-frame, and with a keeper, mon the lower sash, so that on liberating said catch the shelf and lid will be thrown back or open, the sash B be run up by its weight, and the chute be eject` ed from the window and its upper end or mouth extended ready for use. l

Upon the lower sash, B, being run up by its IOC weights it strikes an alarm-liberating device, a', which starts an alarm, E, of any suitable description, arranged within the upper portion ofthe window frame or casing. The sounding of the alarm, which, by reason of the Window being open, will be heard in the street,will indicate to a policeman or others on the outside that the building is on re and call their attention to the necessity ot' holding and directing the ejected chute. Said alarm will also serve to indicate to others in the building the existence of a re and where the means of escape may-be found; also, it may be extended or continued to liberate alarms on other floors of the building.

Inside ot' the chute A is a rope, G, whichis connected bya short chain with the upper portion of the window-frame, directly over the chute, down and out through the lower end ot' which it passes when the chute is extended, and is coiled or rolled up with the chute when the latter is stowed away, after, it desired, rst leading the upper portion ot' said rope over a hook suitably arranged to pass said portion of the rope down the side of the window-frame, so as to be out of the way when not required for use. This rope may be made of any suitable material, preferably ot' a tire-proof description, or which may be made reproot', and by uneoiling with the chute, as the latter is ejected from the window, serves as a safety or check rope for the person passing down through the chute to hold onto, also serving, it' desired, for adjusting the inclinations or bend of the chute after its projection to the ground, when said rope may be held or secured at its lower end.

Outside of the chute is an escape and scaling ladder7 which is formed of aseriesot' rope rings or stays, H, ot' somewhat less circumference than that of the exterior of the chute. These rings, which are arranged at suitable distances apart transversely of the chute, are fastened at numerous points in their circumference to the chute, and form an outside ladder for tiremen or others to ascend either to the floor from which the apparatus is ejected or to any lower the window-frame cr interior ot' the building,

and provided at or near opposite ends of its upper edge with cords or chains g, arranged to pass over pulleys j', and having weights h attached to them, whereby the chute is made self-opening at its mouth or 'upper end, essentially as herein described.

2. In combination with the weights It, cords g, pulleys f, and flexible chute or conveyerA,

the fixed side guide-rods, K, and the rings fi,

attached to opposite side edges of the mouth end of the chute, substantially as specified.

3. In a iexible-chute tire-escape ot' tubular construction, the combination, with said chute A, having weights applied to open or extend its upper end, ot' the shelf and lid D, arranged to hold down said chute when coiled or folded up, and the lower sash, B,of the window,hav ing attached weights operating to elevate it when released from its catch orfastening,sub stantially as and for the purpose or purposes herein set forth. y

4. In a exible-chute tire-escape, the combination, with the window'rame to which said fire-escape is applied, of the lower sash, B, ot the window, having attached weights operating to elevate it, and an alarm, E, having its liberating device arranged for operation by said sash when raised, essentially as specified.

THOMAS PENN,

Witnesses:

- A. GREGORY, C. SEDGWICK. 

